Asguardian
=Asguardian= The Asgardians are the inhabitants of Asguard,also known as Asgard. They are a race of human-like beings possessing a highly advanced form of technology resembling magic and sorcery, which their entire civilization is built up by. They are ruled by Odin, and seek to keep the peace between the "Nine Realms" of Yggdrasil-what the Asguardians call the Wormhole network,because it resembles a vast,intertemporal interstellar cosmic tree. They are a brave and a powerful warrior race whose passion for adventure is their religion, and their reputation as one of the mightiest races in the galaxy has earned them the respect and fear from other races. Like the Vikings of Earth, they believe that the only way to gain access into Valhalla (heaven) is to die in a glorious battle. History War against the Dark Elves Eons ago, Bor, one of the first Kings of Asgard, lead his armies in battle against the Dark Elves. Under the rule of Malekith, the Dark Elves set about to destroy the Nine Realms at the time of the Convergence, using an Infinity Stone called the Aether. After many, many years of fighting, Bor and the Asgardians defeated the Dark Elves and stole the Aether before Malekith could unleash its power on the realms. Bor ordered the Aether to be hidden away, somewhere no one would be able to find it. Unknown to the Asgardians, Malekith, his lieutenant Algrim, and various other Dark Elves escaped in a ship and went into hibernation until the time of the next Convergence. Galactic Exploits Being an advanced, spacefaring people, the Asguardians interacted with various other races and cultures. Among those known included the Kharee]], the Alpha Centaurians, the Taurons, and the Promeatheans. Their encounters with other galactic groups helped the Asgardians build a higher reputation for themselves, earning respect from the other races, while also making them enemies of some. At some point, the Asgardians began travelling to Earth and held a strong relationship with the humans. The Asgardians would teach the Norse people their language and culture and were recognized as gods. This tradition was carried out for many years. War against Jotunheim When the Frost Giants of Jotunheim set about to conquer the Nine Realms, starting with Earth. The Asgardians, now under the rule of Bor's son Odin, arrived in humanity's defense. The Asgardians eventually drove the Frost Giants back to Jotunheim, where Odin personally defeated the Jotun king, Laufey to the point of surrender. After a truce was made, the Asgardians claimed the Casket of Ancient Winters, Jotunheim's greatest weapon, and took it back to Asgard for safe keeping. While on Jotunheim, Odin found Laufey's abandoned son and decided to raise him as his own alongside his own son, Thor. Odin named the child Loki and planned to eventually use him to unite the two kingdoms and bring about a permanent peace. Becoming Legend At some point, the Asgardians decided not to return to Earth anymore, resulting in their presence in history as becoming merely legend. Odin, however, did leave the Tesseract, another Infinity Stone, behind on Earth, either on purpose or simply lost, and an Asgardian blacksmith chose to leave Asgard in favor of living out the rest of his days on Earth. This Asgardian took up the name Elliot Randolph. Thor's Banishment In 2010, Thor had proven himself as a worthy prince, defending Asgard in many battles and becoming something of a hero. When Odin decided to finally make Thor king, a jealous Loki decided to postpone the crowning. Opening a secret passageway into Jotunheim, Loki allowed three Frost Giants to enter Asgard where they attempted to steal their Casket from Odin's Trophy Room. Although the attempt failed, Thor's coronation was indeed postponed. Furious with rage, Thor, Loki, Sif, and the Warriors Three traveled to Jotunheim where they began slaughtering as many Frost Giants as they could. When Odin attempted to calm the situation, Laufey declared that they were once again at war. Returning to Asgard, Odin stripped Thor of his hammer, Mjølnir, and banished him to Earth to learn humility and prove himself worthy of the throne. In his absence, Loki confronted Odin of his true heritage and learnt of how he was found. Under enormous stress, Odin fell into the Odinsleep, leaving Loki to take the throne. Devising a plan, Loki traveled to Earth and told Thor that he is to remain on Earth in exile, stating that Odin had died from the threat of a new war. Loki then went to Jotunheim and struck a deal with Laufey, granting him permission to enter Asgard and kill Odin in his sleep. Meanwhile, Sif and the Warriors Three had traveled to Earth to bring Thor home. Loki had in turn sent the Destroyer after them. In a fierce battle in a small town, Thor proved himself worthy and his powers were restored, leading to the Destroyer's defeat. The incident caused the Earth to once again believe in the legends. Back on Asgard, when Laufey attempted to make the killing strike against Odin, Loki betrayed and murdered him. Thor soon returned to Asgard and confronted Loki who revealed his plan to destroy Jotunheim using the Bifrost to prove himself worthy to Odin. The Bifrost Destroyed After the brothers battled, Thor was forced to destroy the Bifrost and save Jotunheim. Odin awoke from his sleep but declined Loki's pleas for acceptance. Loki then allowed himself to fall into the abyss of space. The Asgardians celebrated Thor's return and heroics but they were faced with a bigger problem. With the Bifrost gone, Asgard would not be able to protect the Nine Realms. Sensing Asgard's absence, a rag tag team of invaders known as the Marauders set about robbing and killing throughout the realms. Meanwhile, Asgard discovered that Loki was still alive and had made a deal with the alien tyrant, Thanos. Loki had traveled to Earth to steal back the Tesseract and in return would be given command of the Chitauri army in order to rule the planet. Using dark energy, Odin was able to send Thor to Earth to bring Loki and the Tesseract home. Loki's War on Earth Using the Tesseract, Loki traveled to Earth and set about causing tumult in order to proclaim himself Earth's king. Using mind control, Loki had several humans build him a device that could harness the Tesseract's power and open a portal to allow the Chitauri to invade Earth. Coming into conflict with S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers, and Thor, Loki and his army were met with battle as they laid waste to New York City. The Chitauri were eventually defeated, the portal closed, and Thor used the Tesseract to return Loki to Asgard for punishment. War of the Realms Returning to Asgard, Heimdall used the Tesseract to restore the Bifrost. Loki, meanwhile, was imprisoned for his actions on Asgard, Jotunheim and Earth while Thor was sent to lead the Asgardian troops against the Marauders who were still wreaking havoc all around the Nine Realms. After a two year war, all of the Marauders were eventually rounded up and imprisoned on Asgard, the Realms were again at peace and owed their peace to Asgard. Odin, proud of the man his son had become, decided it was finally time to make Thor king, something he had now become weary of after years of battle. The Dark Elves Return Five thousand years after their race was slaughtered, the Dark Elves awoke from their sleep, the time of the Convergence coming once again. Meanwhile, on Earth, Jane Foster came across portals left by the Convergence and was warped to the area where the Aether was hidden. Unleashing the Aether, Jane became its unwilling host. Travelling to Earth, Thor located Jane, whom he formed a romantic attachment to during his exile on Earth two years prior, and took her to Asgard for protection. Meanwhile, Malekith devised a plan, disguising his lieutenant Algrim as a Marauder and had him imprisoned on Asgard. While inside the dungeons, Algrim unleashed the power of the Kursed, transforming himself into an indestructible beast. Releasing the Marauders from their cells, Algrim destroyed Asgard's defenses, allowing the Dark Elves to invade Asgard. Battle commenced between the two sides, Asgardians and Dark Elves falling in number. Unable to locate the Aether's host, Malekith had Algrim murdered Queen Frigga before escaping on their ship. Asgard mourned Frigga and their many dead. Odin, erratic from the loss of his wife, had the Bifrost shut down and grounded all Asgardians for Malekith's return attack. Thor, wanting to seek revenge, freed Loki from his cell and, with the help of Sif and the Warriors Three, escaped from Asgard with Jane. Using a dimensional rift that Loki discovered many years ago, they teleported to the Dark Elves' home planet, Svartalfheim. They eventually located Malekith, who took the Aether from Jane's body, despite Thor and Loki's best efforts to destroy it. With Loki sacrificing himself to kill Algrim, Thor and Jane were stranded on Svartalfheim while Malekith traveled to Earth to unleash the Aether at the Convergence's climax. Finding a portal that led back to the same London warehouse Jane and Thor had left Earth from, Thor battled Malekith, and with the help of Jane, Erik, Darcy, and Ian, killed Malekith, reclaiming the Aether and saving the Earth and the Nine Realms once again. A New Rule Returning back to Asgard, Thor declined the throne and told Odin he wished to protect Earth. Unknown to Thor, Loki, having survived his apparent death on Svartalfheim, traveled back back to Asgard in disguise and has somehow usurped the Throne, masquerading as Odin himself. Deciding that it was too risky to keep the Tesseract and the Aether both on Asgard, Sif and Volstagg delivered the Aether to the safe keeping of Taneleer Tivan, the Collector. Unknown to the Asgardians, Tivan somehow wished to use the Aether, along with the other Infinity Stones, for his own ends. Immigration on Earth On Earth, S.H.I.E.L.D. had grown more weary of supernatural threats after Loki invaded. In their efforts to retain global peace and deter possible threats, the agency came to realize that various Asgardians had made Earth their home. Two significant cases were Elliot Randolph and the sorceress Lorelei. The former aided S.H.I.E.L.D. in stopping a Norse hate group from using the Berserker Staff, an Asgardian weapon, for sinister purposes, and the latter became an enemy of S.H.I.E.L.D., who teamed up with Sif to stop her. Technology Despite the Asgardians' magical-sounding names for many of their devices, they were a highly advanced warrior race. Many inhabitants had great martial skill, and Asgard's armies kept peace in the Nine Realms for millennia. They possessed laser weaponry, along with aircraft similar to Viking longboats that were armed with cannons and missiles. Asgard itself was protected by an energy shield, and travel between the Nine Realms was made possible by the Bifrost, a bridge between worlds. The Asgardians also maintained regular swords and shields, though the shields were capable of deflecting laser blasts and the swords were capable of cutting through many objects. Characteristic Traits While Asgardians and humans look the same in appearance, they are very much different. Asgardians have various superhuman abilities that are superior to a normal human being. The most primary of their abilities is superhuman strength, although it varies while the average Asgardian possess strength to battle any type of being within the Nine Realms while more developed warriors, like Heimdall, the Warriors Three, Frigga and Sif have strength that is slightly superior in which they can overpower low-level Asgardian warriors (or in the case of Frigga, battle an Dark Elf to an remarkable degree). Elliot Randolph, due to his days as an Berserker, may still possess strength that could put him in the category with them as well. Loki, while born as an Frost Giant but given some Asgardian "energy" by Odin while he was a child, has strength that would equal a well-conditioned Asgardian as the ones listed above and can almost match Thor, blow for blow. Only Bor, Odin and Thor seem to be the ones that possess the highest level strength due to them being the past, present and future kings of Asgard and the ruling leaders of their kind. In addition, their other physical abilities are "naturally" enhanced such as speed (shown by Thor when he tackled the Hulk before he could strike Black Widow), agility (again shown by Thor when he dodged a S.H.I.E.L.D. jet fighter's wing thrown at him by ducking under it), reflexes, and coordination. However, the most important of their abilities is their durability and regenerative abilities. They are very durable, although again it varies. While the average Asgardian can survive against the most powerful of opponents, they can be killed. However, Heimdall, The Warriors Three, and Sif have more developed durability that can enable them to survive against even more powerful opponents like the Destoryer. Bor, Odin and Thor, again, have the highest level durability, enabling them survive opponents just as powerful, if not slightly more powerful than themselves. Even though they can survive tremendous amounts of physical punishment than an normal human being, they can be hurt or damage. That is when their advanced regenerative abilities take over. It enables them to heal much faster than an normal human being. No form of Earth disease cannot infect them at all. However, when receiving damage that even their regenerative abilities cannot heal, they do have an "healing room" that possibly helps with their regenerative abilities. It seems that low-level Asgardians and mid-level Asgardians need it except Odin who goes through the Odinsleep and Thor, the son of Odin, whose regenerative ability is stronger than the vast majority of his race. Also, their regenerative abilities enable them to have longer lifespans. While humans would see them as immortal, as Odin stated, they are not. Loki pointed out even though they are not immortal, they can live a lot longer, at least by 5,000 years. This explains why Bor is no longer living, because he could have reached his 5,000 years lifespan sometime after the War with the Dark Elves. Asgardians age as humans do in the first years of their lives, but when they reach their late twenties, they start to age much more slowly. Asgardians *Odin*Frigga †*Thor*Sif*Heimdall*Fandral*Volstagg*Tyr*Eir*Elliot Randolph*Lorelei*Haldorr † Relationships Allies *Vanir*Dwarves*Humans Enemies *Frost Giants*Rock Trolls*Marauders*Dark Elves External Links * Section heading |name=Asgard|image=Tales of Asgard 1.jpg|imagesize=250|caption=Cover of Tales of Asgard #1 (October 1968) showing Asgard and some of the inhabitants of the Asgardian dimension Artist Jack Kirby|publisher=Marvel Comics|debut=''Journey into Mystery'' #83 (October 1962)|creators=Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby|dimension=y|residents=|races= Asgardians|locations=|subcat=Marvel Comics|altcat=|sortkey=Asgard (comics)|}}Asgard is a fictional realm within the Marvel Comics universe based on the Asgard of Norse mythology and is home to the Asgardians and other beings of Norse mythology. Asgard features prominently in stories that follow Marvel's superheroic adaptation of the Norse God Thor. Fictional history According to Asgardian legend, in the beginning there was nothing, but in time two worlds came into being on opposite sides of the void. The one to the north was named Niflheim, a world of clouds and shadows in whose center surged the fountain Hvergelmir, from which flowed twelve rivers of ice. The one to the south was named Muspelheim, which teemed with rivers of fire. Eventually the warm air from the south carved out the frost giant Ymir from the ice in the north. Ymir became the father of all the giants, and his cow Auðumbla licked out of the ice the first Asgardian, Buri. Buri had a son named Borr, who married the giantess Bestla. Borr and Bestla had three sons named Odin, Vili, and Ve, who were known as the Æsir. Odin and his brothers grew to hate the giants and slew Ymir, and his blood formed a great sea. Odin and his brothers then raised Ymir's body from the sea and created Midgard between Niflheim and Muspelheim. With Ymir's bones they created mountains, and with his hair they created trees. They then raised Ymir's skull upon four pillars to create the heavens. Within the skull contained sparks from Muspelheim, which became the sun, moon, and stars. When Midgard was complete, Odin and his brothers created a home for themselves above it called Asgard. Between the two worlds they stretched a rainbow bridge and called it Bifröst.Thor Annual vol. 1, #4 (1976) Once a year Odin must undertake the Odinsleep to regain his strength. During this time Asgard is vulnerable to attack from its many enemies, most notably Odin's adopted son, Loki. Loki first takes command of Asgard during the Odinsleep, using his right as the 'son' of Odin before Thor could claim it, but fled when Asgard was invaded by Mangog as he realized that this new foe was too powerful.Thor #154-157 (July - Oct. 1968) Loki later usurped the throne of Asgard by taking the Odinring, but fled again when Asgard was invaded by the fire demon, Surtur.Thor #175-177 (Apr. - June 1970) The throne of Asgard later passes to Thor after Odin is killed in battle by Surtur, when the demon invades Earth.Thor #40 vol. 2, (October 2001) It was prophesied that Loki would lead Asgard's enemies in a final conflict known as Ragnarök, which would lead to its destruction. This comes to pass when Loki obtains the forge that created Mjolnir and creates new uru hammers for his army. The entirety of Asgard and its inhabitants are destroyed in the resulting battle.Thor vol. 2, #80-85 (Aug. - Dec. 2004) After Ragnarök, Donald Blake awakens Thor from the "Void of Non-Existence". Thor returns to Earth and rebuilds Asgard outside of Broxton, Oklahoma, purchasing the land with gold from the treasury. Thor then goes about restoring the Asgardians, who have been reborn in the bodies of mortal men and women.Thor vol. 3, #1-5 (Sept. 2007 - Jan. 2008) Asgard's location on Earth makes the city a target during the Secret Invasion by the Skrulls led by a Super-Skrull named Godkiller, whose powers mimic Thundra, Titania, Volcana and Battleaxe. The aliens are repelled with help from Thor's ally, Beta Ray Bill.Secret Invasion: Thor, #1-3 (Oct. - Dec. 2008) When Thor is forced to abdicate the throne and is exiled for killing his grandfather Borr, who was brought from the past and driven mad by Loki, control of Asgard passes to Thor's half-brother, Balder.Thor #600 (Apr. 2009) Asgard is destroyed yet again after Norman Osborn seizes control of S.H.I.E.L.D. following the Secret Invasion as he seeks to expel Asgard from U.S. soil in an effort to consolidate power. Osborn leads the Dark Avengers in an invasion against Asgard known as the Siege. The invading forces are defeated with help from the reunited Avengers, although Asgard itself is toppled by the Sentry. Immediately following the Siege, Thor reerects Heimdall's observatory atop Stark Tower as sign of solidarity with Midgard and appreciation for the Avengers' aid.Siege, #1-4 (Mar. - June 2010) Thor restores Odin to the throne when the nine realms are invaded by "the World Eaters".Thor #618 (December 2010) However after Thor and Odin's long-forgotten brother, Cul, kill each other in battle during the Fear Itself event, Odin passes control of Asgard to the Vanir, headed by the "All-Mother", a triumvirate of female deities consisting of Freyja, Gaea and Idunn.Fear Itself #7.2 (2011) Tony Stark's company, Stark Resilient then rebuilds Asgard over Broxton, Oklahoma, where it is rechristened as "Asgardia".The Mighty Thor #11 (February 2012) Regions The Asgardian dimension contains several distinct regions. The Nine Worlds Other regions The six races The six races of intelligent humanoid beings known to reside within the Asgardian dimension. Not to be confused with the dragon Fafnir. Racial attributes Although they look human, all Asgardians possess certain superhuman physical attributes. They are extremely long-lived (though not purely immortal like their Olympian counterparts), aging at an extremely slow rate upon reaching adulthood (through the periodic consumption of the golden apples of Idunn). Asgardian flesh and bone is three times denser than similar human tissue, contributing to their superhuman strength and weight. An average Asgardian male can lift 30 tons (27.2 metric tons); an average Asgardian female can lift about 25 tons (22.7 metric tons). Asgardians are immune to all terrestrial diseases and resistant to conventional injury. The metabolism of the Asgardians gives them superhuman stamina in all physical activities.Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition, #1: Abomination to Batroc's Brigade (August 1985) Demons are beings of fire and tend to be about the same stature as the Asgardians. Dwarves are smaller in stature than the Asgardians, and have short, stocky bodies. Their average height is four feet (1.2 meters). Elves vary greatly in size from four to eight feet (1.2 to 2.4 meters). They tend toward slender bodies and proportionately longer limbs. The dark elves tend to be darker in color than the light elves. Both types have natural proclivity towards magic. Giants are basically humanoid in appearance and color although they tend toward the neanderthalic in body and bone structure. Their most distinguishing feature is their height. The average giant is twenty feet (6 meters) tall, although some may reach thirty feet (9.1 meters). On occasion giants will produce stunted offspring who look similar to the Asgardians. Loki and the Executioner are both children of giants despite their diminutive six or seven foot (1.8 or 2.1 meter) stature. Trolls are the least human-looking of the denizens of Asgard, possessing body characteristics that are almost simian. Trolls are stocky and massive, have thick body hair (almost fur) and tend toward a ruddy orange color. They are on average taller than the Asgardians but shorter than giants, around seven feet (2.1 meters) tall, although some trolls are considerably taller. Trolls tend to be extremely strong, stronger than the average Asgardian, dwarf or elf and on par with giants. Trolls like Ulik rival Thor in strength. Flora and Fauna Flora with the nine worlds of Asgard. Art by Eliot Brown.]]Yggdrasil; the world tree is an immense ash tree that is central to the Asgardian dimension. The tree is supported by three roots that extended far into the other worlds; one to the spring of Hvergelmir in Niflheim, one to the well of Mimir in Jotunheim, and another to the well of Wyrd in Asgard. Though Midgard is not physically connected to Yggdrasil, it is said that the Earth's axis is in alignment with the tree. In the limited series Thor: Blood Oath, Thor and the Warriors Three are sent to retrieve golden apples from the branches of the tree.Michael Avon Oeming (w), Scott Kolins (p), Thor: Blood Oath #2 (October 5, 2005), New York, NY: Marvel Comics Odin once hung himself from the tree for nine days and nights as a sacrifice to gain knowledge of the runes. Thor repeated this action during Ragnarök.Thor vol. 2, #84 Later Amora the Enchantress attempt to destroy the tree in an effort to free the body of Skruge the Executioner from its roots, an action that nearly tore apart the fabric of reality.Thor: God-Size, #1 Fauna *Dragons are ancient creatures that are stated to live in Nastrond. These include Fafnir, Hakurel; a dragon Thor slew during one of his earliest adventures,Thor: Son of Asgard, #2 and Níðhöggr; who feeds on the roots of Yggdrasil.*Eagles are giant sapient versions of their Earthly counterparts. These include Gnori; king of snow eagles whom a young Thor, Sif and Balder sought for one of his feathers as part of a quest,Thor: Son of Asgard, #3 and Lerad; an eagle that guards the magic apples of Yggdrasil. Volstagg was able to steal an apple by first beating Lerad in a drinking contest.*Fenris Wolf; a giant wolf that is said to be the offspring of Loki and the giantess Angrboda. During Ragnarök Fenris swallowed all that remained of Asgard following the final battle.Thor vol. 2, #85*Geri and Freki are Odin's pet wolves. Freki stopped an assassination attempt on Thor's life during a time known as the Reigning when Thor assumed the throne of Asgard and ruled both Asgard and Midgard with an iron fist.Thor vol. 2, #74*Huginn and Muninn are Odin's pet ravens. They guided Thor to find the means to end the Ragnarök cycle''Thor'' vol. 2, #83-85 and again through Hel to find Odin.Thor vol. 3, #7-8*Midgard Serpent; an immense serpent that lives in the Sea of Space circling Midgard, ready to eat unwary sailors.*Rattatosk; a squirrel that lives on Yggdrasil and carries messages between Lerad and Níðhöggr. As a child Thor would go to Yggdrasil to visit Rattatosk and listen to his stories.*Sleipnir; Odin's eight-legged steed.Thor, #274 (August 1978) Thor had eight steeds Firegnaw, Mudbrute, Slaughterbit, Smokemare, Snow Harpy, Stormbringer, Swamptooth and Warhoof. During a famine on earth, some humans ate the horses over Thor's request that they not do so. The God of Thunder took the bones back to Asgard. Using magics, he reformed them into Sleipnir.*Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder; two mystical goats that pull Thor's chariot. In other media .]] Television * Asgard appears in the ''Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends episode "The Vengeance of Loki." * Asgard is featured in The Super Hero Squad Show. * Asgard was introduced in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes in the episode "Thor the Mighty". * Asgard appears in the Avengers Assemble episode "Planet Doom." * Asgard appears in the Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. episode "For Asgard." Film * Asgard is the setting of Marvel Animation film, Hulk vs. Thor. * Asgard is the setting of the animated film, Thor: Tales of Asgard.Release Dates Confirmed For "Planet Hulk," "Thor: Tales Of Asgard" Animated Features * Asgard and Jotunheim appear in the 2011 live-action Marvel Studios film, Thor directed by Kenneth Branagh. * Asgard, Svartalfheim, Vanaheim, and Jotunheim appear in the 2013 film Thor: The Dark World, directed by Alan Taylor. Muspelheim is also seen briefly through a dimensional rift. Video games * Asgard is featured as a playable level in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. * Asgard is featured in the Marvel Super Hero Squad video game. * Asgard is featured in Thor: God of Thunder (based on the live-action film). * Asgard is a stage in the fighting game Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, and returns in the "Ultimate" upgrade of the same title. * Asgard appears in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online. Theme parks * The Disneyland attraction "Treasures of Asgard", located inside Innoventions in Tomorrowland, opened on November 1, 2013 and features displays of Asgardian relics and transports guests to Odin's throne room in Asgard, where they are greeted by Thor. References External links * MarvelDataBase:Asgard* Marvel Directory - Asgard